MAC Class Notebook

(Table of Contents)
Chpt 1: Introduction to the Class Notebook
Chpt 2: Registration & Pre-registration
Chpt 3: Required 500 Level Courses
-  MAC 502 (Group)
-  MAC 503 (Individual)
-  MAC 512 Syllabus
-  MAC 514 (Developmental)
-  MAC 521 (Gender/Ethnicity)
-  MAC 522 (Abusive Relationships)
Chpt 4: Required 600 Level Courses
-  MAC 601 (Psychopathology)
-  MAC 602 (Assess/TX)
-  MAC 620 (Ethics)
Chpt 5: Elective 500 & 600 Level Courses
-  MAC 651 (Substance Abuse)
-  MAC 661 (Marriage/Family)
-  MAC 671 (Expressive)
-  MAC 691-692 Internship
-  MAC 560 (Children)
-  MAC 570 (Career)
-  MAC 695 (Clinical)
-  MAC 695 (Statistics)
Chpt 6: Independent Study Courses
Chpt 7: Transfer Courses
Chpt 8: Internship Classes

(On-line Forms)
Annual Schedule 
Request Transfer Credit

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology ("MAC")

MAC 512: "Family Systems Therapy" 
Specific Syllabus (Subject to Change)

Faculty Member: 

Godfrey J. Ellis, PhD

Course Description:

Marriage and family therapy is different from other helping disciplines because of the way family therapists think about human behavior and change. More specifically, it is based on a systemic perspective. The purpose of this course is to help you to understand (potentially adopt) this systemic view and learn basic approaches and techniques of the various schools of family systems therapy. I hope that I can share with you my enthusiasm about family therapy. Specific objectives during this course include for you to:

1. Think about the way you think about couples and families.
2. Become acquainted with systems ideas and how to apply them
3. Begin to adopt systemic views while observing families
4. Become acquainted with the major schools of family therapy
5. Increase self-confidence by gaining practical and personal experience
6. Gain awareness of personal and family of origin issues that will affect the counseling process

Required Texts:
(Please do not order your books for the current semester from this list.  It may not be up-to-date.)

• Becvar, D. & Becvar, R. (1984). Family therapy: A Systemic Integration (2nd ed) Boston:Allyn/Bacon
• Napier, A., & Whitaker, K. (1978). The family crucible. NY: Harper
  Additional xeroxed selections on weekly topics of family systems therapy :

Grading and Exams:

Team Book Presentation:
Two of the best ways to learn a new area of study is through collaborative learning and by teaching others. Consequently, you will be asked to form teams of three and give an oral presentation on at least one classic family therapy text.. It will be your responsibility to present the material to the rest of the students in a lively and enjoyable manner. Do not try to cover the book in an exhaustive manner. Either present the overall flavor of the book or 2-3 major points that you think are important, helpful, and particularly interesting. The goal of the presentation is to "breath life" into the theories discussed in class. Teams could involve the class in experiments, do role plays, read scripts of therapy sessions, give demonstrations, or do anything that will encourage learning and expanding the perspective of the class. In other words, presentations should be creative and interesting. Humor and unique angles are encouraged; reading dry material while sitting down is strongly discouraged! Be sure and allow time for questions and answers at the end. Books available for review include the following:

1. Haley, J. (1976). Problem-solving therapy (2nd ed.). (those interested in structural/strategic theory)
   
2. Hendrix, H. (1988). Getting the love you want. (those interested in couples therapy)
   
3. Kerr, M., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation. (those interested in family of origin)
   
4. Madanes, C. (1981). Strategic family therapy and Madanes, C. (1984). Behind the one-way mirror. (interest in strategic therapy)
   
5. Minuchin, S., & Fishman, H. (1981). Family therapy techniques. (interested in structural therapy)
   
6. Satir, V. (1988]. The new peoplemaking. Mountain View, CA: Science and Behavior Books and [1983] Conjoint family therapy (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books (if needed)

The project will be graded by the teacher (although other class members are encouraged to provide feedback to the group). It will be the responsibility of the group to ensure that the work load is evenly divided between all group members. However, if two group members both complain to me about a third, I may drop that member by one or two letter grades. The presentation will be due in one of the time slots indicated on the course outline on a first-come, first-serve basis and will run 40 minutes; be sure to allow 10 more minutes for questions and answers. Students will be graded using the following equally-weighted scales:

1. Creativity: use of unique angles/good teaching aids, was it fun & memorable; did we enjoy it?
2. Presentation: speakers used enthusiasm, confidence, and organization; were we interested?
3. Content: presentation gave important material and solid info; did we learn something from it?

Projects and Term Paper:
An important part of this course is the acquisition of basic family therapy skills. This will take place through various hands-on projects. You will be asked to write up the experiences in a double-spaced, 8-10 page paper. Even though the major learning is in the activity, not the writing, please make your paper as professional as possible. You will be given a page of common writing errors to avoid. You will be expected to trade papers with a fellow student for corrections or suggestions prior to handing it in to be graded. The final paper must reflect the quality expected of a master's candidate. Papers containing major grammar, style, or substantive errors in the first page or two will not be graded. They will lose points and be returned for correction before grading is completed. The hands-on projects that will be discussed in the paper include:

1. Take part of someone's genogram and have part of your genogram taken: Prepare an 8 1/2 x 11 hand-written genogram on a client, family member, friend, or class member and hand it in. Then have your own genogram taken by a class member, personal partner, or therapist. In the section of your semester paper dealing with this project, write up: 1) your reaction to the two experiences (esp. having to give out personal, family information), 2) any new insights that you gained about yourself and how unfinished business (themes, traditions, and patterns from your family of origin) may impact your clinical effectiveness, and 3) major ideas or insights that you gained from doing the project. Please do not present the genogram information in textual form in your paper.
2. Procure a KFD and a KHTP: Ask an adult or an adolescent (preferably not a child and not yourself) to draw one picture of his/her family doing something (a "Kinetic Family Drawing") and one picture containing a house, a tree, and a person doing something (a "Kinetic House-Tree-Person Drawing"). Then, bring the drawings to class (you are not obligated to share them with the class, but I would like them brought to class anyway). In the section of your paper dealing with this project, describe: 1) one or two major insights or learnings you gained from doing the project and 2) how the in-class discussion added to, or changed, the experience for you. Please do not describe the drawings themselves in any detail except to illustrate any emotional reaction to the project.
3. Observe a family/interview a member: Arrange to silently observe a family interacting (preferably at a meal time) and note the system patterns, hierarchies, triangles, etc. Interview one family member regarding functioning. Analyze the experience from a systems perspective. In the section of your paper dealing with this project, do not hand in a transcript of your interview nor describe the family in detail. Instead, discuss: 1) what you learned about systems perspective, 2) what you learned about families and family functioning, and 3) one or two major insights or learnings you gained from project. In other words, emphasize analysis of the family over description of people, family history, or dialogue.
4. Draw a floor plan of house: Sketch a large, poster-size, floor plan of the most emotionally significant house you lived in as a child. Include rooms, closets, hallways, etc. as well as memorable furniture or exterior details in the floor plan. You may use color if you choose. Please bring your poster to class - although you will not be obligated to share it if you do not wish to. In the section of your paper dealing with this project, describe: 1) one or two major insights or learnings you gained from doing the project; 2) your emotional reaction when a) you first contemplated this project and b) when you finished drawing it; and c) why you would, or would not, use this exercise with clients.
5. Interview a Professional Practicing Marriage and Family Therapy:  This assignment gives you the opportunity to visit a professional who is practicing marriage and family therapy (note: marriage and family therapy does not have to be the professional's only specialty or modality) and to interview this professional about his/her specialty area and practice, the field of marriage and family therapy, and counseling in general. Please do not hand in a transcript of this interview. Instead describe your two or three major learnings from doing this project.

Examinations:
There will be one final exam where you will be asked to: 1) compare and contrast a systems approach with a linear approach, 2) suggest systemic interventions to a case, and 3) construct genograms for selected case studies.

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